The Angelic One
by Lolieta19
Summary: Based on the beginning of the Order of the Phoenix, elements of both the film and the book included. Luna and Harry meet for the first time, and something unfamiliar stirs inside Harry.
1. Chapter 1

Harry drank in the image of the angelic girl before him, pursing his lips as he perused his mind for something matter-of-factly to say as his hand felt the reptile-like skin of the strange creature beside him.

"_You're not crazy. I can see them too." _The girl announced in a sing-song voice, just barely raising her wide, shiny eyes above her issue of _The Quibbler. _

He noticed Hermione shoot Ron a knowing glance behind him, and instantly became annoyed. Hermione clearly already had a negative impression of this unique, albeit strange girl, and it made sense. By the looks of things, they couldn't have been any more opposite.

"_This is Loony…" _Hermione broke off, startled at her own idiocy. _"Luna Lovegood." _She muttered ashamedly. Ron snickered audibly to Harry's left, obviously pleased that Hermione had called her this accidentally.

"_Nice to meet you, Luna" _Harry found himself greeting. The phrase sounded odd and formal trailing from his lips, but he couldn't think of anything better to say in that moment. He didn't exactly have a wonderful track record with girls, unless you counted Ginny Weasley's infatuation with him a few years back.

Harry watched amazedly as the girl, Luna, lowered her upside down copy of _The Quibbler. _Ron shifted nervously next to him as they climbed the carriage, shooting Harry a look that read _what do we do now? _Harry ignored him, fixing his gaze on the wonderful Luna. Her platinum blonde hair was almost white, and it reminded him vaguely of the shimmering tail of a unicorn. It trailed in tangled, messy curls down to her waist, and Harry found himself staring at it, transfixed. She was like nothing he'd ever seen before.

He felt a sharp pain in his right side, and turned to look at Hermione irritably. She'd clearly noticed his intense staring at Luna and shoved him in the side violently.

"_Harry Potter." _Luna announced suddenly. Ron snickered again to his left, not even attempting to hide his evident humour at this strange creature. This annoyed Harry; he knew how it felt to be different, to be stared at as if you were in a zoo. Luna clearly received the same treatment here at Hogwarts.

"_Yes, that's me." _Harry murmured cautiously. She _was _random. He watched her for any signs of a continuing conversation, but she simply raised her magazine once more and became enthralled by its pages. Harry felt something odd inside him stir. It must have been those _Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans _from the train journey. He'd definitely eaten some unusual flavours, and as his stomach flipped once more, he felt that he'd better steer clear of them from now on.

The four fifth year students continued their journey to Hogwarts mostly in silence, only occasionally Ron muttering about being starving and looking forward to the feast. Hermione shook her head helplessly every time he opened his mouth. Harry ignored the pair of them, and fixed his stare on the growing Hogwarts castle. He was back home; at last.

**5 days later **

Harry had become sick of his friends' constant bickering. Something odd was happening to him, it was as though there was a snake inside him feeding him its venomous thoughts. Harry shivered involuntarily and shook the disturbing image from his mind. Now wasn't the time to think about snakes, for he only associated them with Voldemort. Harry was feeling oddly irritable. He'd always been slightly annoyed by Ron and Hermione's seemingly pointless quarrels, but now was different, somehow. He couldn't laugh it off anymore, as he used to. He thought back to their last conversation, conflicted between feeling that it served them right and feeling guilty.

"_Ron, do you always have to insist on copying my homework?_" Hermione yelled breathlessly, her voice echoing in the unusually deserted Gryffindor common room. Harry was sat in the comfy, red chair by the warm, open fire opposite his friends. He tapped his finger against the chair to calm himself down. He was sick of feeling like he was about to snap at any second.

"_Relax, Hermione. It's only the introduction, I promise." _Ron murmured in his laidback manner, making a grab for Hermione's parchment once more. He was inches away when it snapped up back into Hermione's fingers. He looked at her shocked, mouth hanging open.

"_Hermione, don't be selfish." _Ron muttered thoughtlessly.

"_Selfish!"_ Hermione cried _"I've let you copy my work thousands of times, Ron, and I've had enough!" _She yelled, stalking over to sit in the chair besides Harry.

"_Blimey, what's got your knickers in a twist?" _Ron asked under his breath, almost inaudibly.

Hermione had clearly heard him; her face reddened and her breathing quickened. Harry was sensing another one of their outbursts. He didn't want to have to play the messenger anymore; he had just about had enough of it.

"_Oh just give it a rest, both of you!" _Harry yelled suddenly, rising from his chair. The snake inside him whispered its instructions to him, egging his anger on even further. The parchment that had balanced in his lap moments before fell soundlessly to the carpet. _"I'm sick of the pair of you bickering." _And with that, Harry had stolen from the common room and ventured outside to Hagrid's. It had been a day since, and Harry still hadn't spoken to either of them. He could tell that they were trying to get along, for his sake, and so they should. He shouldn't have to put up with being in the middle all of the time.

Anger at the memory bubbling in Harry once more, he marched into the outskirts of the forbidden forest, making sure to stay within the bounds that they used for _Care of Magical Creatures. _It was there that he found her once more. He realised that somehow he'd known she was there, as though her presence was like a beacon to him, pulling him in.

"_Hello Harry Potter." _Luna murmured, she was barefoot and seemed entirely comfortable with being so. He realised that he'd stopped and was standing rigidly at the sight of her. As she turned, he forced himself to walk forwards across the greying stones of the forest floor.

"_Hi, Luna" _He whispered huskily, clearing his throat. She was holding an apple, and only now did he fully take in his surroundings. The clearing the pair of them stood in was filled with the same strange creatures that he had observed pulling the carriages a week earlier.

"_What are these things?" _He asked, genuinely curious. The sight of them had bothered him endlessly for the past week. He'd thought he was going crazy.

Luna looked at him expressionlessly, as he'd noticed that she always did. She looked like she was constantly in dreaming of something else. She threw the apple to the ground before answering Harry. He watched the horse-like creature bend down to sniff the apple hopefully. It turned its nose up at its meal and looked at Luna expectantly. She tutted and reached into her pocket to retrieve what looked like raw meat, almost as though she could sense what the creature was thinking. Harry found himself marvelling over the girl before him, not the strange, four-legged animal.

"_They're called Thestrals" _Luna replied, shaking Harry from his reverie. _"They're really quite friendly, but people tend to avoid them." _She finished and turned back to toss the creature another helping of meat, as though that was explanation enough.

"_Why couldn't Ron and Hermione see them?" _Harry asked, and Luna's eyes widened, as though the reason was obvious enough.

"_Oh. They're only able to be seen by people who have seen death." _She muttered dreamily, her long, loose hair flowing slightly in the cool breeze.

"_So you've seen someone die, then?" _Harry asked tactlessly. He longed to keep the conversation going. He realised that he was intrigued by Luna. She was different, like Harry himself.

"_My mother" _Luna whispered morosely, her eyes glazing over into a state of nostalgia. She was remembering her mother, Harry realised with a pang.

"_I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have asked." _Harry stammered quickly. He was so _stupid_, to ask a question like that. He hated it when people asked him about his business, as if they could know how it felt. But he realised, with a shock that shook him like wildfire; that this girl _did _know how it felt. Luna had lost a parent, too. Harry felt his connection with the girl before him deepen.

"_That's okay. It was a long time ago, and I still have dad." _She smiled suddenly, and Harry could see the pure, undeniable love that she obviously felt for her father radiate from her. Harry found himself smiling back automatically. Luna really was something else entirely.

"_Aren't your feet cold?" _He asked suddenly, surprising himself with his brazenness.

Luna looked down at her bare feet, wiggling her toes to get the feeling back. _"Yes." _She stated _"but I can't find my shoes." _She looked at Harry suddenly, her features arranging themselves into a picture of realisation. _"It must be the nargles!" _She exclaimed.

Harry suspected that it was other students who had taken her shoes, he knew what they called her around school, but he didn't ask about the 'nargles'. He thought Luna was magnificent. She obviously didn't care what other students thought about her, so much so that the idea they would take her shoes as a form of bullying didn't even occur to her.

"_Probably" _Harry murmured, smiling to himself slightly. He realised that the moment he had saw Luna standing carelessly in the clearing, his anger had evaporated entirely. It would be back, he knew it would, but for now he felt very cheerful.

All too suddenly, Luna was standing only inches away from him. She was far, far too close. Harry's heart began beating embarrassingly loudly in his chest as he looked into her pools of blue eyes. She took his hand in hers, and Harry hoped to god that she couldn't feel the clammy sweat that had broken out on his palms. She pulled him close to her, and just for a tiny second, Harry thought she might kiss him, but he found himself enveloped by her sincere, warm hug. He couldn't remember anybody hugging him so closely before. All too aware of her body so close to his, he attempted to pull away. Instead, Harry found himself buried into her mass of pale hair, its fruity smell propelling him into a blissful stupor.

"_I like you, Harry Potter" _Luna whispered in his ear, her warm breath causing the hairs on his neck to stand rigidly. _"We should be friends." _

Harry felt Luna pull away from him, and he let her do so. His arms were held limply at his sides, unmoving. After he'd calmed down some, he opened his eyes and rearranged his glasses. Except for the Thestrals, he was standing alone in the clearing, breathing deeply.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews so far, they really convinced me to keep writing this story! At the moment I'm just playing around with Harry and Luna, trying to see the best way of how they interact etc. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it :)_

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Luna Lovegood stood serenely, just South of Hogwarts School. She was partially hidden in a tall terrain of grass, arms raised to either side of her petite body. As she felt the cool breeze caress her fingertips, she reached up and briskly unearthed her platinum blonde hair from its tight ponytail. It tumbled down around her in tangled waves that reached her waist, ruffling slightly in the wind. Luna wasn't sure what exactly had led her out here, but she was a strong believer in following her instincts, and this is what her instincts had told her to do. She'd almost felt as though a presence had drew her to this spot, yet there was nobody to be seen, unless you counted Hagrid pottering about in his cabin.

Just north of her eyesight, Luna spotted what appeared to be a thestral take flight in circular motions above the trees of the forbidden forest. Probably in search of food, Luna thought. She shouldn't have started feeding the creatures, they had probably gotten used to it. As she watched intently, two more of the odd creatures appeared suddenly in wake of the first. The latter had joined the first in its attempt to find prey, circling above the trees.

Luna was fascinated by the animals; she was fascinated by any animal that was a bit different, really. She found comfort in the fact that even in the animal kingdom; some beasts are considered different, strange. Her father really was the only other person who shared her beliefs entirely. When Luna was a young girl, she'd sit with a large mug of her favourite tangy pumpkin juice, her dad's homemade recipe, and listen to his tales of his encounters with these very creatures. He'd told her about the nargles, the creatures that went inside people's heads and made their brain go fuzzy. He'd been the one who'd informed her of their mischievous nature, which had in turn led her to the conclusion that the nargles had taken her shoes. They must suspect her belief in them, she realised.

Luna believed in the idea that if something wasn't proven to be non-existent; then it could exist. This infuriated the narrow-minded students, and so they found her odd and unapproachable.

The image of Harry Potter suddenly appeared in Luna's mind. He hadn't scoffed at her when she'd mentioned the nargles, nor the thestrals. He could see those, too. Luna didn't quite know what to make of the boy who lived. She knew that he was best friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, the narrow-minded, logical one. Harry was different from them. He was open-minded to an extent, and Luna found herself admiring the thought of him.

"Luna!" A voice was suddenly yelling near her. Her eyes flew open wide. Harry Potter's face blurred into focus to her left. Why was he yelling? Luna watched him expectantly.

Harry's cheeks reddened slightly. "Sorry for yelling, I called your name a few times and you didn't respond."

Luna exhaled in relaxation. "That's OK." She responded in her sing-song voice.

Harry's face widened into a friendly smile. Luna found herself gazing unashamedly at him. Nobody had ever smiled like that at her before. Harry Potter was an odd boy.

"So what are you doing, exactly?" Harry asked; a smirk playing on his lips.

Luna presumed that Harry was making fun of her; mocking the way in which she was standing in the grass. The way she stood when she wanted to feel at one with nature.

"I'm following my instincts, Harry Potter." She replied coolly.

"And what would they be?" Harry pressed on. He longed to start a conversation with the girl. He was curious about Luna; there was something mysterious about her.

Luna lowered her arms and turned to look at him curiously. Why was he taking such an interest in her instincts? He was watching her intently, desperate for an answer.

Luna smiled in spite of herself. "My instincts told me that something good would happen if I came down here." She paused, watching Harry. "I come down here a lot, when I'm feeling sad." She finished weakly.

Harry felt something tug at his heart; her instincts had told her that something good would happen. Could he be that something good?

"Do you feel sad now?" He asked, concerned.

Luna's features became neutral for a moment while she thought. She had felt sad when she'd decided to come down here, yes. She'd missed her father. For some reason, though, she didn't really feel sad any longer.

"I did before, yes." She muttered, diverting her eyes from his intense gaze.

"Why?" Harry demanded. He wouldn't give up that easily.

Luna didn't want to tell him that she was missing her dad, not when she would be able to see him soon and Harry would never be able to see his. It just didn't seem fair.

"Just missing home a bit" Luna murmured, it wasn't exactly an outright lie.

Understanding lit Harry's face. He pitied Luna. Not condescendingly or with an air of superiority, but genuinely. She might appear calm and uncaring, but inside she was hurting, just like anybody else.

"Are you still sad now?" Harry pressed on, interestedly.

"Not so much." Luna replied almost too quickly. She was thinking back to that hug Harry and she had shared a few days earlier. She had felt something; an understanding of sorts. It had felt good, and most importantly, it had felt right to Luna.

Harry was edging nearer to Luna, closing in on her left. She sat down on the cool earth beneath her and patted it, making it clear that he was welcome to join her. Harry flopped down beside her, legs crossed.

"It's strange" he announced after several minutes, turning to face Luna. "How you come here when you're sad." A slight smile formed on his wet lips.

Luna looked at him confusedly; she wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"Why is it?" She asked, almost defensively.

Harry gave a short, humourless laugh. "Because I come here when I'm sad, too" he met her eyes intensely. "Not here exactly, but very near here." He pointed to Hagrid's cabin.

"You go to Hagrid's? Why?" Luna asked interestedly, enthralled by the boy.

"It's sort of similar to what you said, really… about instincts and all that." Harry muttered, not knowing whether to continue or not. He hardly knew Luna, yet he felt the uncontrollable desire to tell her everything about him. What _was _it about this girl?

"Hagrid was the one who told me I was a wizard. He's just… always been a part of my home here at Hogwarts." Harry murmured. It was true; Hagrid was, as far as Harry was concerned, family.

Luna nodded, but didn't respond in any way. She was thinking intently about what Harry had said, trying to understand how it must feel to have no real family. She thanked her lucky stars that she still had her dad. Luna didn't think she'd be strong enough to handle anything if she didn't. She felt a sudden rush of admiration for the boy next to her. No wonder people thought he was such a hero. _He was. _

"So why are you feeling sad?" Luna asked suddenly, raising her eyebrows questioningly.

Harry was rendered speechless for a moment, how had Luna known he was sad? Then he figured that she must have realised he was on his way to Hagrid's when he had spotted her, standing in the tall grass.

He laughed heartily "You caught that?"

Luna simply nodded in agreement.

"I wasn't feeling sad, exactly. I just haven't felt right lately. You wouldn't understand, Luna." He deflected. It was true; nobody could understand his aggravation, not even Harry himself. The only person who could understand was the one who hadn't acknowledged his existence once since the start of year. He _needed _Dumbledore, why couldn't he see that?

Luna was silent for a moment, lost in thought. It wasn't likely that she could empathise with Harry, but she could try to understand, to help him. She wasn't quite sure why she so badly wanted to see him happy, after all, she really barely knew him. But she did want that.

"Well, you could at least try." She spoke quietly. She wasn't sure if he'd even heard her.

"I feel angry… all the time." Harry said sadly. "It's as though something is taking my basic worries and anxieties and making them worse." He paused, thinking about the way he felt as though a snake was feeding him its thoughts whenever he was angry. He decided not to tell Luna about that part.

"Voldemort?" Luna asked without the slightest flinch. Harry was shocked at her nonchalance attitude in mentioning his name. She was brave, this Luna, then.

"The thought crossed my mind." Harry laughed harshly. He was beginning to think _anything _that happened recently was to do with Voldemort, but it was hard to be certain when his scar had been twinging continuously since his return in the graveyard.

"It's pushing away my friends." Harry muttered solemnly. "I'm pushing away my friends." He was only now realising how sorely he missed Ron and Hermione. He hadn't even noticed how severe he had been with them recently, until now.

"Well, if I was you know who, that's how I'd want you to feel." Luna looked at Harry intently. "I'd want you to feel cut off and alone."

Harry stared at her quizzically, what did she mean?

"If it's just you on your own, you're not as much of a threat." Luna answered his confused look.

Of course, Harry realised, vowing to himself to make it up with Ron and Hermione as soon as he got back to the castle. In that moment, he could have kissed Luna. As he watched her close her eyes softly once more, he realised that he wouldn't have minded, either.


	3. Chapter 3

Luna tossed and turned uncomfortably later that night, her usually comfortable bed feeling lumpy underneath her. Ravenclaw tower was quiet and calm; the only sounds Luna could hear were that of the owls just outside her window, so why couldn't she sleep? She was thinking about Harry Potter and the strange connection that she'd felt with him today, a connection that she'd never felt before with anybody besides family. Besides her father.

He was interesting, of course he was. Everyone thought so, it wasn't as though only Luna had realised it. The majority of Hogwarts talked about Harry Potter, whether it was positive or not, and lately it hadn't been so. Luna had realised today that she not only felt a twang of pity for the boy who lived, but empathetic. The pair of them not only felt strangely confident and sure in their own skin, but had also lost at least one parent, leading to feelings of alienation. They might deal with it in different ways, but Luna couldn't deny that she was enthralled by the similarities between the two of them.

The transition between reality and dreaming was blurry for Luna, and before she knew it she had slipped into a utopia of unconsciousness. She was standing in the open doorway of the great hall, of all places. Looking around curiously, Luna saw that it was unusually deserted. Not even Filch could be seen pottering around, Mrs Norris in tail. _Unusual_, Luna thought.

She spotted a dark head at the top of the Gryffindor table suddenly, appearing from nowhere. It was him, the one she'd been thinking about. Luna stood statue-like as her mind conflicted against her heart. Should she leave or approach him?

As Luna debated, he turned his head a fraction of an inch to the right. Not far enough to spot her at the back of the hall, but enough for Luna to spot a tragic, singular tear fall from beneath his black rimmed glasses.

Luna made her decision in that moment, stepping forward loudly to make herself known. He turned at the audible sound of her shoe scuffing against the concrete floor of the great hall, his eyes darting around before resting on hers and widening somewhat shockingly.

He simply watched as Luna approached, without uttering a word. Luna couldn't take her eyes away from his, who's were equally as fixated on hers. There was only the two of them around, and they two were the only ones who mattered in that moment. There was no Voldemort, no School, nothing to worry about.

Luna stopped roughly a metre away from him, her arms dangling limply on either side. She tilted her head slightly to one side, letting the twists and tangles of her long, curly hair tumble around her shoulder. She waited patiently for him to acknowledge her, her eyes alight with expectations.

"Hi Luna" He mumbled sheepishly, his voice husky as though he hadn't spoken until now.

Luna felt a wide grin spread across her rosy cheeks at his shyness. "Hi Harry."

Harry grinned back at her, causing Luna's stomach to flip uncontrollably. She was usually so _calm_, and now she couldn't even control herself at someone smiling at her. What was _wrong _with her?

Luna shook the thoughts from her mind, hoping that her nervousness would evaporate too. She lowered herself onto the bench beside Harry, leaving a slight space in between them.

"So what brings you to the great hall at this hour?" Harry asked, eyebrows furrowing. Luna caught Harry's curious eyes, and noticed that they were still damp. Before she could refrain herself, Luna raised her right hand to softly graze his cheek. Harry's tear lingered on the tip of Luna's index finger for a moment, Luna finding herself fixated on the way it glistened. To Luna, it mirrored Harry's soul. The tear ran freely down Luna's finger, breaking her out of her reverie.

Luna wiped the dampness on her finger against her bottoms and looked back to Harry. "I'm not really sure." She answered truthfully. "I wasn't here… and then I was."

Harry grinned once more. "Dreams tend to work like that."

Luna tilted her head to one side to look at Harry questioningly. "This is a dream?"

She watched as Harry laughed carelessly, something she'd never seen prior to that moment. He pointed towards her feet, his forearm grazing against hers. Luna felt the fine hair on her arm stand upright at his mere touch.

"You're wearing shoes, Luna. Didn't that give it away?" Harry's eyes sparkled teasingly.

Luna bent forward, clutching her chest for breath as she laughed heartily. She briefly heard Harry laughing alongside her, their sounds harmonising with one another.

It was minutes before the laughter ceased, and Luna breathed in exasperation as she stopped. She realised that she felt truly happy when she was with Harry, happy and carefree. Harry accepted her without question or judgement, and she him.

Luna sat upright once more, realising that Harry had also fallen silent beside her. She raised her eyes to meet his, and found him staring at her determinedly. The remainder of Harry's pain dwindled threateningly behind his eyes.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Luna asked bluntly. She wanted him to trust her more than anything.

He exhaled deeply, lowering his eyes from hers "Everything." He sighed.

Luna knew he wasn't going to reveal any more, and so she repressed the urge to push him further. She respected people's privacy, especially Harry's. It mattered to her.

Luna found herself turning away, allowing him his privacy. She felt a warm hand against her cheek, and turned in to its offering comfort.

"I like you, Luna." Harry's voice shook. Luna appreciated the strength it took him to voice those words, and flashed him a coy smile in return.

She found Harry's stare fixated on her lips. "I like you too, Harry" she murmured, her voice echoing against the large walls of the great hall.

The pair found themselves leaning into one another simultaneously, Harry's strong arms wrapping around Luna's petite waist. He was much too close to her, and she felt her heart quicken in pace with his approach. She felt Harry's warm breath against her smooth face, and wrapped her arms around his neck in response.

Their lips paused apart from one another for a moment, before they embraced. Luna felt the soft pressure of Harry's lips against hers and her shoulders trembled erratically. Their lips moved in accordance with one another's, as though they were connected by something beyond simple reason. Luna felt herself smile against his mouth, and his returning smile in answer. They wrapped tighter together until there was but an inch between them. Luna couldn't stop it. She instinctively ran her fingers through Harry's midnight black hair, feeling its soft bristles against her creamy skin.

Their kisses quickened, becoming more and more urgent. Harry's breath flowed into Luna's mouth, and she felt even more understanding course between them, if it were possible. Luna pulled Harry closer still, and felt the warmth of him shine onto her like blissful sunlight.

All too soon, Harry broke away from the kiss. Luna opened her eyes to search for Harry's, but found empty space. He was gone. The ghost of Harry's lips lingered against hers, and Luna felt her lips pulse in longing. Her heart remained its quick pace, and Luna felt a hundred thoughts run through her stunned mind. She'd never felt anything so strong and so incredibly passionate in her life. She'd never expected anybody to make her feel that way.

Luna's mind raced back to consciousness, her eyes widening. She saw the pale ceiling above her, and became aware that she'd been dreaming. Disappointment flooded through Luna in the realisation that what had felt so amazing wasn't true. She cared deeply for Harry, so deeply that even her subconscious was attempting to convey to her how much so.

Reaching a hand up to her face, Luna felt the place where Harry had kissed in the dream, and found her-self longing for it to become a reality. She vowed that it would.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry entered the Great Hall the next morning decked out in his red and yellow Gryffindor kit. It was the first Quidditch match of the season, and not only that, but against Slytherin. Harry detested seeing the smug look on Draco Malfoy's face whenever Gryffindor lost, but the idea of losing to him was simply unbearable.

He heard, but barely acknowledged the roaring boos around the hall as he entered. It was Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, and he was more than used to the gritty antics prior to a match, particularly one with such high stakes as Gryffindor V Slytherin. Harry cast his mind aside from the divided hall, and meandered along to a spot at the Gryffindor table where Hermione, Ron, Fred and George were already sat.

"Ready for today's match: Harry?" George asked, voice muffled slightly by the large chunks of bread rolls he was tearing at with his teeth.

"I guess so." Harry assented; there wasn't much to say on the subject. Gryffindor had trained the best they could; now it was left to the player's and the conditions outside.

As though Ron had read his thoughts, he noted; "Clear day outside though, I reckon you're in with a good chance. Malfoy needs that smugness knocked out of his face, anyway. Ever since Snape awarded him the most points for his shrinking potion he looks like he's won a trophy." Ron looked scornful; Harry knew that Ron was bitter. Snape had disposed of Ron's cauldron seconds after looking at it, since Ron had followed the directions incorrectly.

"Oh we'll knock it off, alright." Fred grinned wildly, face filled with anticipation at the coming match.

"Knock him off his broom in the process." Ron muttered to himself. None of the others had heard the remark, but Harry, who was next to Ron, spat his pumpkin juice out with a low chuckle. Hermione gave him a reprising once-over. Harry knew what was coming.

"Harry, just be careful. Umbridge is looking out for any little thing she can get her grubby hands on to punish these days." She frowned, a worried line etched across her otherwise smooth forehead.

As if he didn't know that already. "I'll be fine, Hermione."

The group ate in silence for a while, Harry beginning to feel his stomach tighten with anxiety at the coming match. He only got this anxious when he was against Slytherin, not only because they were Gryffindor's natural rivals, but because aside from Harry's team, Slytherin had the best players. They consisted of stealth, rather than skill, but they played dirty.

Hermione was deeply submerged in the _Daily Prophet_, obsessing wildly over any new details that might point to Voldemort's whereabouts. Harry didn't need to think about that right now.

"Oh look, Hufflepuff are supporting Gryffindor by the looks of it!" Ron exclaimed in between mouthfuls of buttered toast.

"Lucky us" Fred and George said almost simultaneously. Harry sensed the sarcasm there, and it was for a reason. Hufflepuff generally got the mickey taken out of them a lot at Hogwarts, with the other students referring to it as a "back up house", where the students were sorted into if they didn't possess any worthy characteristics.

"So are Ravenclaw. Look at Luna Lovegood." Hermione murmured, staring off in the direction of the entrance doors.

Harry's head shot up from his plate embarrassingly quickly. He had been deeply immersed in attempting to force some eggs into his stomach when he heard Luna's name mentioned. He followed Hermione's gaze immediately, to spot the wild-haired girl that had starred in his dreams of late.

He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Luna was dressed in her normal Hogwarts uniform, but a large lion mask occupied almost her entire face, leaving small gaps only for her eyes and mouth.

"That girl just keeps getting stranger. Dad told me her dad is the same; he has to be if he publishes the _Quibbler_, though, what rubbish!" Ron complained, it was his favourite thing to do.

"I think she's brilliant." Harry muttered audibly before he could stop himself. He reddened immediately, and turned his face back towards his plate, not before he caught the knowing look on Hermione's features, though.

"You should go and talk to her, Harry, she's by herself." Hermione murmured so that only he and Ron could hear. At least she was _attempting _to be tactful.

Ron laughed heartily. "She's always by herself, Hermione! What would Harry say to her?"

Hermione shot Ron a disapproving glare. "I'm sure he'll think of something, won't you, Harry?"

There was no way out without drawing more attention to him-self. "I suppose so." He sighed, acting as though it was a task, when in reality his heart was quickening at the thought.

Harry tried to ignore the flips his stomach was doing as he left Hermione and Ron bickering at the table behind him. Luna was indeed sitting alone, and Harry felt a moment of pity for the eccentric girl, before remembering that this tended to be her preference.

His heart warmed as he took in the sight of her publicly supporting Gryffindor. She wasn't the only one wearing his colours in the Great Hall, but she was certainly the only one that mattered to Harry in that moment.

All too quickly, Harry found himself at Luna's side with absolutely nothing to say. This was silly, he'd spoken to her a few times since the start of the year, even hugged her, and yet he couldn't even force a greeting from his trembling lips.

Luckily for him, Luna spotted Harry as he reached her side. "Hiya, Harry." She smiled lazily, blue eyes glistening in that noticeably sparkly way that only hers did.

"Hey, Luna" He greeted, clearing his throat. He didn't know what to say next, so waited.

"You excited for the match?" She asked in her sing-song voice.

"It should be an interesting one, yeah, if we win." He grinned, taking the seat beside her.

Luna looked blank for a moment, as though her thoughts were somewhere else entirely. "I'm sure you will, and if you feel nervous it's probably the nargles. Dad told me that they can intensify your moods if they get near." She looked deadly serious.

Harry didn't believe a word of this, but he didn't laugh. "I'll try to remember that, Luna."

She nodded happily, content that he had taken knowledge of this information. She turned back to her breakfast, and Harry glanced at what she was eating. Sausage and eggs, exactly the same as his unfinished plate back at the Gryffindor table. He hid a smile.

"Good to see you're supporting Gryffindor." He nodded towards her mask, which now lay on the mahogany table beside her plate.

Luna nodded quickly. "I don't think anybody really wants to see Slytherin win again. Snape would be unbearable."

Harry hadn't thought of that. It was true, the potions master would be ten times worse than he already was, if that were even possible.

Luna's sentence had just sunk in, and Harry felt his heart drop at her reason for supporting Gryffindor. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he was disappointed.

"And you're the best seeker by far, you deserve to win." Luna continued, and Harry was sure he saw her cheeks redden slightly, although that could have been wishful thinking on his part.

"Thanks, Luna, that's nice of you." Harry grinned widely, his heart singing in his chest.

She nodded; eyes wide. "Oh that's okay; everybody says so, when they're not scared of you."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed, and Luna appeared shocked at herself. "Scared of me? Who's scared? That's ridiculous."

Luna faced him head on, though she was clearly embarrassed at her lack of tact. "Not scared, exactly, just confused, Harry, all this about you-know-who."

Harry frowned in realisation. He should have expected this. He knew that most of Hogwarts were confused about the accusations against Dumbledore and him, and that they didn't know what to believe, but his thoughts about Luna had distracted him from that.

Luna's eyes widened even further. "Oh! I believe you, Harry, I do. And so does dad, for that matter. Some people just don't think the same as we do, though. They're scared to admit that he's back, it's easier for them not to."

Harry watched her throughout her speech in awe. She was so _smart_, maybe not logically, like Hermione was, but in every other way she was just as special and clever.

He was still forming a reply when Luna almost shrieked; "You better go, Harry! Your team is leaving. Good luck."

Harry returned her friendly smile easily, and left for the Quidditch match with a light heart and a contentedness. Luna had referred to them as "we", and as he quickly made his way from the Great Hall towards the Quidditch pitch, Harry noticed that his anxiety had evaporated quicker than you could say "love potion".


	5. Chapter 5

Harry entered the Quidditch pitch with high hopes. He felt as light as air, and even the smug snarl of Draco Malfoy wasn't enough to anger him. He had found his calm in a midst of anger.

"Ready to lose, Potter?" Malfoy grinned with antagonism. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him, as always, and let out a low snigger simultaneously, as though they had rehearsed it.

"Funnily enough, no" Harry grinned back, as Madam Hooch's whistle sounded.

The Gryffindors rose through the air swiftly, their brooms vibrating with apprehension.

"Slytherin in possession of the quaffle" a familiar voice echoed through the stadium.

Harry's head shot round in the direction of the commentators table, and he resisted the sudden impulse to laugh. He really hadn't expected Professor McGonagall to allow Luna to commentate after last time.

BOOM. Harry's broom swung round as he was hit from the left by a boisterous player from Slytherin. He quickly swerved around and righted himself in a quick recovery.

"Alright there, Harry?" Fred shouted as George swung his bat violently at an oncoming bludger.

Harry nodded quickly. He didn't want his team to think that he was distracted, even though that was the case. He let out a deep breath, and tried to ignore the ringing echo of Luna's voice below him. This game had to be won, and everyone was counting on him to catch the snitch quickly.

* * *

**23 minutes later**

Harry was greeted off the pitch by a swarm of Gryffindors, Hermione and Ron leading them. They had just won the match against Slytherin by 50 points, and Harry couldn't help but grin at Malfoy's sudden disappearance from the pitch.

"Well done Harry!" Hermione smiled happily, giving him a warm hug.

"That catch was bloody brilliant." Ron observed, delightedly smacking him on the shoulder. "Should have seen Malfoy's face when he realised you'd got the snitch, he wasn't even paying attention!"

Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team yelled their thank you to everyone congratulating them, as they began to make their ascent to Gryffindor tower, where there was sure to be a party waiting.

As they made their way through the great double doors of the castle, Harry felt a light tap on his right shoulder. He turned half-heartedly, expecting Colin Creevey or Ginny Weasley to be congratulating him.

It wasn't either of them. Luna stood before him, framed magnificently in the doorway with the sun shining behind her. It was more like magic than anything he'd learnt in yesterday's transfiguration class.

"You okay, Harry? You're looking a little feverish." She murmured in her dreamy voice.

Harry shook himself out of his transfixed state. "Yeah, I'm fine." He lied. His palms had begun to sweat, and he was minutely aware of his heart racing.

"Oh." Was he imagining it or did she sound disappointed? "Well, great match! I was so happy to be able to commentate again, I didn't think she'd let me."

Harry let out a low chuckle; that was exactly what he'd thought. "Yeah, well, people must have liked you." _I did_, he thought.

Luna gave him a small smile. "That's nice of you to say, but I don't think so."

Harry twiddled his thumbs awkwardly. He wasn't sure what to say next. Ron and Hermione had carried on walking without him, which was odd, so it was just him and Luna left in the doorway.

"Well, I better get up to the common room; they've probably done a party." Harry muttered, regretting the words as soon as they escaped his lips. "You know Fred and George" he added.

"Oh, yes." Luna smiled airily, "Well, see you Harry."

Harry left Luna by the castle entrance and made his way up to Gryffindor tower idly. _Why _had he done that? He could have at least asked her to go for a walk or something. He just hadn't known what to say, and his stupid, big mouth had blurted it out.

"Password?" The fat lady asked in between giggles. She was with a woman from a portrait down the hall, and Harry noticed that they seemed to be rather drunk.

"Sneakoscope" Harry muttered absent-mindedly, and the portrait swung open to let him enter. Suddenly the party didn't seem as much of an exciting idea as it had twenty minutes ago.

He was greeted by Ron as soon as he stepped through the portrait hole.

"There you are! I kept trying to come and find you to rescue you from Luna, but Hermione wouldn't let me." He stated tactlessly. Ron really wasn't very observant.

"Rescue me?" Harry asked irritably.

"Yeah… you know, once she gets talking…" Ron trailed off as Hermione joined them.

"So?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow knowingly at Harry.

"So, what?" Harry asked, maiming confusion. He didn't want her to say anything near any of the other Gryffindors.

"Never mind" she muttered quickly, getting the hint. "You've missed most of the party, Harry. I think there are some sweets left that Fred and George haven't bewitched somewhere, though."

Hermione led them to the squishy chairs in front of the fire, secluded from the other Gryffindors in the room, not that there were many left.

"Where is everyone?" Harry asked, un-wrapping a chocolate frog. It was a Saturday afternoon, but there was hardly anybody to be seen.

"Movst ve sixf an sevenf years haf gon into Hogsmeade" Ron told him between mouthfuls of his pumpkin pasty.

Hermione glanced at him distastefully. "Yes, they had to go and get more things from Honeydukes since Fred and George ruined most of our lot." She explained.

"Anyway" Hermione whispered, and Harry had a peculiar feeling that he knew what was coming, "what happened?"

"With what?" Ron asked, swallowing his last bit of pasty.

"Harry and Luna" Hermione answered, not taking her eyes away from Harry's.

"Harry and… Luna? What are you talking about?" He asked, slurring his words in his sudden interest.

"Harry, go on" Hermione nodded at him.

Harry let out a deep breath. He would have to tell them sooner or later, and he knew that Hermione would notice his odd behaviour eventually. They were both watching him expectantly, Ron's mouth hanging open slightly. Harry resisted the urge to laugh.

"Nothing happened." He answered honestly, although he wished it had.

"But you wish it had" Hermione noted. How did she _do _that?

Harry bowed his head as he felt his cheeks redden slightly. "Yes."

He heard the unmistaken sound of Ron's sharp intake of breath. "You like Luna?" He asked.

"And Luna likes Harry." Hermione added, and Harry's head shot up.

"She… what?" He stammered, cheeks reddening even more. Hermione gave him what seemed like a sympathetic smile before continuing.

"She likes you too, Harry. You can be so smart about some things and so stupid about others." Harry didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or not. "Look, when do you ever see Luna making such an effort with anybody else? She's always with you, Harry."

Harry didn't know what to think. His stomach had flipped when Hermione said that. Luna… liking Harry? She couldn't. He didn't want to get his hopes up.

"You don't know that." Harry murmured, wanting Hermione to prove him wrong.

"No, I don't. Only you will know when you kiss her." Hermione smiled gleefully.

"When I _what?_" Harry exclaimed.

"Kiss her. You heard me, Harry." Hermione scolded. "Luna is too shy to do anything more than she has to show you that she likes you, and she would never kiss you first. You have to."

"Harry likes Luna?" Ron stammered again, dumbfounded.

"_Yes, Ron._" Hermione sighed irritably, casting Ron a dark look. "So Harry: how about it?"

Harry let his thoughts run for a moment. How would he even begin to try and kiss her? They were in a castle with people around all the time, for heaven's sake. But, his conscience told him, haven't you been alone with her a few times already? Couldn't it happen again?

"Maybe" Harry muttered reluctantly. Hermione sighed, but left it alone. Ron continued to stare at Harry gormlessly until Harry shot him a look.

Harry's subconscious fed him images of Luna and him together; images that made him want to take Hermione's advice. Could he kiss Luna? How would he go about it, and what would her reaction be?

It seemed that Harry had a lot to think about.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days that followed were dreadful. Hermione's words had certainly given Harry much to think about, but it seemed that now, whenever he saw Luna, his courage vanished. And so when she waltzed into the Great Hall that morning for breakfast, Harry found himself ducking quickly, focusing on the eggs on his plate that could surely be fried on his face.

"Harry, what on earth _are _you doing?" Hermione asked after the third morning he had done this. Ron was watching him with a mixture of amusement and curiosity, which he was sure was only for Hermione's sake.

"Eating my eggs, why?" Harry replied with nonchalance, raising his head a fraction to check whether Luna was still in the room. Hermione, quick on the uptake, followed his gaze to the Ravenclaw table.

"_Honestly, Harry!" _She sighed, getting up from the Gryffindor table quickly.

"Where's she going?" Ron asked, gaping after Hermione. Harry watched; dread filling him, as Hermione approached the Ravenclaw table, and Luna herself.

"Oh no, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, bowing his head further into his breakfast, so far that his hair was almost in his eggs.

"Harry, you're done for." Ron grinned at him between mouthfuls of sausage.

Harry chose to ignore this. "What's happening? What does it look like she's saying?"

He risked a quick glance at Ron to make sure he was surveying the scene at the Ravenclaw table. He was staring open-mouthed at Hermione and Luna, and Harry resisted the urge to chastise him for his conspicuousness.

"_Well?" _Harry asked, unable to wait.

Ron held a finger up to him. "Hold on, Harry." And so Harry waited for a few minutes, his anxiety growing deeper. Just when he thought Ron was doing it to wind him up, he spoke again.

"I reckon you're alright, Harry." He murmured, and returned to eating his breakfast. Harry stole a glance at the Ravenclaw table to see that Hermione was just getting up.

"Did they look over here at all?" Harry whispered to Ron, for Fred and George had suddenly become very interested in their conversation, and were watching them suspiciously.

"Nope" Ron answered coolly, "they just smiled and laughed a lot, like girls do" and, before he could stop himself; "I still don't understand why you like her."

Harry ignored this comment, and felt relief wash over him like a cool breeze. He wasn't sure he could have forgiven Hermione if she'd said anything about kissing to _Luna._

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted." Hermione announced smugly as she reclaimed her seat between Harry and Ron. Harry felt his stomach flip uncomfortably again.

"What did you do, Hermione?" He asked; his green eyes that so resembled his mother's, wide with fear.

Hermione looked at him contemptuously. "You forced me to, Harry."

"Forced you – what?" Harry muttered confusedly. Hermione was watching him rather like he was a ticking time bomb, about to go off.

"Well, you like Luna, and Luna likes you, but neither of you were going to _do _anything about it, don't you understand?" Hermione snapped rather curtly.

"What did you do, Hermione?" Harry repeated calmly.

"Oh for goodness sake, I only asked her if she wanted to come into Hogsmeade with us at the weekend. I remembered that she had mentioned wanting to go a few days ago, and, well, I _thought _it was a good idea." Hermione sniffed.

Harry felt as light as air once more, Hermione hadn't mentioned him specifically, and they'd all be together in Hogsmeade. Where was the harm? He grinned at Hermione, who smiled tentatively in return.

"I reckon that's one of your best ideas, Hermione." Ron gaped, impressed. "Think about it, Harry, she's bound to come with us; she's got no other fri-" He finished timidly.

Harry knew that Ron was about to say "friends", but he didn't care at the moment, he was truly happy for the first time in days.

"Yes, and when Harry suggests a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, Ron and I will casually mention that we need to go to the post office to send a letter, because… Pigwidgeon and Hedwig are… unwell." Hermione grinned.

Harry spat out his pumpkin juice, earning a disgruntled look from Ginny, who had just sat opposite. "She'll see through that, Hermione!" He whispered so Ginny wouldn't hear.

"She won't." Hermione muttered, "and even if she does, who cares?"

Harry was about to interrupt with "I do", when Hermione continued; "At least you'll get to spend some proper time together."

Harry thought about this, it was true that he wanted to spend time with Luna, but he didn't know whether he could even talk to her coherently anymore. Every single time he saw her it was as though the ground was trying to swallow him up. There wasn't much he could do about Hermione's plan now, though, and he doubted that she would give up anyway.

"You better give me some advice before then, in that case." Harry murmured quietly to Hermione and Ron, though not quiet enough to escape Ginny's notice.

Her red head shot up from her breakfast at once, "advice about what?" She asked nosily.

"Go away, Ginny." Ron sighed.

"Oh, charming." Ginny glared at them suspiciously, but left to sit by Neville nonetheless.

"So what are you going to do, Harry?" Ron grinned at him, "You best sort a plan out."

"I have no idea." Harry muttered, lost in thought. No sentence had ever rung so true.

* * *

On Friday evening, Harry found himself resenting the way Hermione had handled the situation. He'd have sooner faced Slytherin in a Quidditch match than talk to Luna alone for such a long period of time. He was sure he was going to run out of things to say, if he could even think of anything in the first place.

"You'll be _fine,_ Harry" Hermione sighed, after he'd voiced this thought for the hundredth time in two days. "She's not going to bite."

Ron spluttered and burst into hysterics. "You don't know that, Hermione, she's an odd one, Luna is."

"Oh, shut up Ron." Hermione chastised, "Honestly, Harry, you've spoken to her _loads_ of times before."

Harry knew that this was true, but it just didn't feel the same to him this time around. Whenever he'd interacted with Luna it had always been a pleasant surprise, and he hadn't had time to worry about what to say, whereas now all he had was time to worry.

"That was different." Harry muttered almost inaudibly.

"I don't see how, really" Hermione observed shrewdly. "Just talk about what you usually talk about."

"Ask her what nargles are!" Ron guffawed, slapping his knee. He was lounging in one of the squashy, comfortable armchairs in front of the glimmering fireplace in the Gryffindor common room with Harry next to him. Hermione was perched on the floor awkwardly, her homework spread out in a wide circle around her.

Harry had no idea what they usually talked about. Whenever he'd previously had a conversation with Luna he'd felt dazed, and he had trouble remembering what he'd said as soon as the words left his mouth.

The common room was emptying as eleven o'clock approached; excitement almost palpable in the air for the Hogsmeade visit the following day. Even Fred and George had given up on convincing younger students to test out their newest skiving snackboxes and gone up to bed.

Hermione, as though reading his mind, suddenly shot her head up and darted a horrified look around the room.

"What is –" Ron began, but Hermione was scurrying around busily, collecting all her books together.

"Bed time!" Hermione cried, half-running up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

Ron stared open mouthed after her, and Harry would have laughed at the expression on his face had he not been so stunned by Hermione's sudden disappearance.

"Mental that one, I'm telling you." Ron murmured, shaking his head whilst throwing scathing glances at the girl's stairs.

Harry privately agreed, but didn't tell Ron this, instead he said; "She's got a point, though."

So the two of them trudged up the spiral staircase to the boy's dormitory, where Neville, Seamus and Dean were already fast asleep, Neville snoring loudly.

"Reckon we put a silencing charm on him?" Ron muttered moodily as he threw back the hangings around his four poster bed, eyeing his wand speculatively.

Harry chuckled heartily, falling into the welcoming folds of his own warm bed. In that carefree moment, he felt his worries about the following day dissolve, instead to be replaced by a content surge of happiness.

Really, what was he so worried about? Harry thought to himself as he fell into a deep sleep filled with blissful dreams of tumbling tangles of blonde hair and pink lips.


	7. Chapter 7

**I am so sorry that its taken so long to update this story, I've had lots of work in uni at the moment and didn't want to just rush something to put on here, but I will try to update more frequently when I can! Hope you enjoy, and thanks for sticking with me.**

* * *

Harry woke the next morning with a gigantic lurch in the depth of his stomach. His uninterrupted night's sleep was clearly going to be paid for in coming anxiety. His stomach was bubbling with both anxiety and excitement, though he couldn't quite decide which would prevail.

Ron was snoring noisily, and Harry would have been tempted to put the silencing charm on him instead of Neville, had the circumstances been different. Instead, he dressed quickly and rushed past Ron's bed, narrowly avoiding his pale white leg hanging out of the side limply.

"Harry, there you are!" Said Hermione enthusiastically as Harry descended the spiral staircase. He was taken aback by Hermione's excitement, fearful of its source.

"What's up?" He asked, somewhat afraid of what the answer might be.

Hermione's face lit up. "Well, I had the best idea last night, but obviously I couldn't come and tell you then."

"Obviously" Harry muttered, "what was it, then?" He fell into one of the squashy chairs in front of the warm Gryffindor fire where Sirius' head had once appeared, and checked his watch edgily. He had two hours until the Hogsmeade trip, which gave him very little time to get a plan together that wouldn't make him look like a complete fool. He was beginning to accept that it was against the odds.

"Well, I know you're nervous about spending the entire day with Luna, so why don't you both come and meet me and Ron for a bit? You can just tell her that we really, really wanted to meet you, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She's ok, Luna. We could meet in the Three Broomsticks." Hermione rushed.

Harry was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity of Hermione's idea. He had been fearful of the lengths she might have gone to in order to ensure that Harry and Luna got along well. Even now, he felt the anxiety in his stomach lessen slightly, with the reassurance that he would, at least, have Hermione for back up. The thought of Ron being there wasn't much reassurance, though.

"Hermione, that's a great idea! Do you really think she wouldn't mind?" Harry asked enthusiastically.

"I'm positive." She grinned animatedly. "Want to go down for breakfast, or shall we wait for Ron?"

"Best wait, I reckon." Harry murmured, knowing from experience that it wasn't the best idea to leave Ron out. "He'll probably be awake soon, anyway."

Hermione shot him a disbelieving look, just as Ron emerged at the top of the boy's stairs behind her. Harry grinned, earning him a glare from Hermione.

"_Finally,_ Ronald" Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes "let's go down to breakfast, Harry's nervous enough without having to worry about being late, too."

Harry was about to tell Hermione that he really wasn't worried about being late and that it was fine, but a tiny elf of about three feet suddenly appeared with a snap in front of them, understandably distracting him.

"_Dobby?_" Harry breathed, wondering why on earth the elf had suddenly apparated into the Gryffindor common room.

"Dobby has come to warn Harry Potter, sir" Dobby squeaked nervously, though there was a noticeable difference in the elf's posture since he had been freed. When Dobby had first appeared to Harry back in Privet Drive, he had been hunched over with his hands hovering in front of his face, ready to give himself a beating lest he reveal more than intended.

Harry turned his attention back to Dobby, "what about?" He asked nervously. Last time Dobby had warned him, it had concerned Lord Voldemort.

"There have been plans Sir, plans that Dobby has overheard in the kitchens. The other elves is hearing things about the elf called Kreacher." Dobby bowed his head, his eyes darting around in their sockets. Harry had the overwhelming suspicion that the Malfoy family played a part in the elf's tale somewhere.

"What plans, Dobby?" Harry asked reluctantly, he really didn't need any more to think about right now.

Dobby raised his large, watery eyes to meet Harry's. "Dobby doesn't know, sir, Dobby is hearing that Kreacher is a bad, bad house-elf, and that he sneaks around on Master Black."

"Kreacher has to obey Sirius, Dobby; he's bound to the entirety of the Black family." Hermione interjected. Harry's unease lessened slightly.

"There is tales, Miss, that Master Black treats Kreacher bad, and that is why he is unloyal." Dobby glanced from Hermione to Harry worriedly.

"Sirius doesn't treat Kreacher badly at all!" Harry argued, blood rushing to his head. He hated to hear people talk badly of his godfather, for he was the closest thing Harry had to knowing a family.

Hermione looked Harry up and down, assessing him. "Harry, you can't say that Sirius treats him well. We've seen how he is with Kreacher –"

"But do we actually have to worry about anything? I mean, Kreacher can't disobey Sirius, can he? He's bound to the Black family, like Hermione said." Ron interjected, his mouth hanging open in puzzlement.

Dobby nodded slowly. "It is… possible in some situations, but if Master Sirius gives Kreacher direct orders, it is part of the house-elves enslavement to obey. Just be careful, Sirs and Madam."

With that ambiguous statement, Dobby disapparated from the common room once more without warning.

"What the bloody hell help was that?" Ron moaned from the sofa. "Why come here if he's just going to tell us things that make no sense?"

"Dobby's always been like that, though." Harry replied, shaking off the feeling of unease.

"But has he ever been wrong?" Hermione asked, staring at a fixed spot on the carpet as though it would disappear if she took her eyes from it. Harry and Ron looked at her, and dismay returned to Harry. It was true, Dobby had never been wrong, exactly, but he'd never told Harry an exact truth, either, and Harry said as much.

"Exactly, Harry! Don't you see? Dobby gives you warnings and lets you work it out for yourself. Maybe that's what he's doing now. It must be important." Hermione's voice rose to a shriek.

"Calm down, Hermione, if it was that important, Dobby would just tell Harry. He's free now; he's not bound to keep anybody's secrets." Ron mused.

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron thoughtfully; "Unless someone else is stopping him."

"If you mean You-Know-Who, you're barking." Ron guffawed. "Anyway, Harry doesn't need to worry about this right now, he's got a date."

And with that intimidating conclusion to the conversation, the three forgot about Dobby's tale for the moment and made their way to the Great Hall for a breakfast Harry didn't think he could stomach, even if bacon was involved.

* * *

Half an hour later, Harry was saying farewell to Ron and Hermione at the entrance to the Great Hall, where he was due to meet Luna. Breakfast had passed much too quickly, and Harry was fighting the growing urge to turn and run back up the stairs to the security of the Gryffindor common room.

"Hi, Harry Potter" A wondrous voice echoed from the shadows of the corridor. Harry saw her large, sparkling blue eyes and ghostly pale white hair first, and then the rest of Luna emerged a few feet in front of him.

"H-hey Luna" He stuttered awkwardly, "ready to go?"

"Yes, I think so." She replied chirpily, looking him over intently. Harry felt himself turn rigid. "Have you brought a coat?"

"Erm, no Luna, I'll be fine." Harry responded wearily, half expecting a scolding and a warning that he would catch his death of cold.

"Good, daddy sent me a letter in yesterday's owl delivery, apparently there's a current infestation of nargles in coats. They like the warm, you see, so this time of year is when you really have to worry about them. I haven't worn a coat since." Luna rushed, seriousness etched on her features.

Harry had the urge to laugh, but didn't. He'd learned to expect these odd tales from Luna by now. "Haven't you been cold?"

"Well, yes, but I'd much rather have a head cold than a case of nargle infestation, wouldn't you?" She asked interestedly, her eyes wide as she waited for his response.

Harry instinctively decided to agree with her. "Er, yes." He knew he'd said the right thing when she nodded with satisfaction, her gleaming blonde hair bouncing down past her shoulders.

"Potter and Loony!" A voice roared from behind Harry and Luna as they made their way across the grounds towards Hogsmeade. Harry turned with exasperation to see Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy bounding along behind them.

"I didn't expect your standards to be high, Potter, but I thought you'd at least try and do better than Loony Lovegood!" Draco Malfoy yelled, whilst Pansy shrieked with laughter at his side.

Harry's insides burned with anger, it was entirely different when Malfoy was insulting _him_, but to say such horrible things about Luna in front of her was just the limit. He span around wildly, ignoring Luna's protests at his side.

"At least I don't have to pay Luna to laugh at everything I say, Malfoy, or is it just because Pansy knows she can't do any better than an idiot like you?" Harry's head was throbbing, he could only see red, and he began to feel that all too familiar feeling of a snake rising inside of him.

"Careful, Potter, and I thought your comebacks couldn't get any worse." Malfoy laughed, striding past Luna and Harry with Pansy in tow.

Harry was quiet for a long time afterwards, allowing himself time to calm down.

"Don't worry about Malfoy" Luna's voice interrupted his furious thoughts, and all of a sudden the boiling blood in his head was calmed down by Luna's angelic interjection. "I really don't care about anything he says."

"Yes, but I do." Harry replied earnestly, realising that he couldn't bear to hear anybody insult Luna again, at least not when he could hear them.

"You're very brave, you know." Luna murmured, and was that awe in her eyes, or was Harry simply imagining it?

"What do you mean?" He felt his blood rising in an entirely different way, a flush colouring his cheeks.

"You stand up for yourself, and people don't really realise how brave that is." Luna smiled up at him, though her eyes still had a vacant look about them.

"I'm more bothered about standing up for people I care about." Harry muttered, slight anger returning to him at the memory of Malfoy's words.

Harry walked a few paces before he realised that Luna had stopped walking and was staring at him wondrously from a few feet back. "Are you o-"

"You care about me?" Luna asked, and for the first time he could recall, Harry noticed that Luna was completely and entirely focused in the moment.

"Wha- well, yeah…" Harry muttered pathetically. He had no idea how to be remotely romantic. To his sincere embarrassment, tears fell from Luna's glossy eyes. "I'm sorry" Harry rushed, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't understand girls.

"No, don't be sorry. That's very nice of you to say, nobody has ever said that to me before, apart from daddy, of course." Luna smiled, wiping the few tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, it's no problem, really." Harry muttered awkwardly, his cheeks still flushed with a confusing mixture of embarrassment and pleasure.

The pair had just entered Hogsmeade, and Harry's heart lifted at the sight of it. The sun had risen in the sky, and though there was still a wintery chill in the air, it shone down on him and Luna happily. Harry had a feeling that it was going to be a wonderful day, and he wasn't so sure that he wanted to, or needed to meet Hermione and Ron at The Three Broomsticks later on that day. He wanted to soak up all of Luna that he could in the short day they had together.


End file.
